On loving the wall

Irshad Manji asks an interesting question in today’s Times when explaining how she learned to love the wall that has made life for many Palestinians even harder than it already was. She wonders if an effort to prevent suicide bombings justifies further hardship for Palestinians.

She answers yes, presumably because “before the barrier, there was the bomber.” Even if she would prefer to overlook the fact that before the bomber, there was the occupation, Ms. Manji should concede that there are any number of ways to ensure security for a state, but that many of them are cruel, immoral and against international law.

An important point was made by Israel’s Chief Justice in his ruling on the wall, in which he quoted his judgment prohibiting the torturing of Palestinian detainees: “This is the destiny of a democracy: she does not see all means as acceptable, and the ways of her enemies are not always open before her. A democracy must sometimes fight with one arm tied behind her back.”

Those who proclaim their love for the wall would do well to remember this.

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